Pharmacist Involvement in Rural Hospital’s Medicine Policy Offers Significant Savings

A clinical pharmacist’s involvement in the design of a rural hospital’s medicine policy resulted in a financial benefit equal to more than a dozen annual salaries, researchers reported in findings published online in The International Journal of Clinical Practice.

“To put in different perspective, around 14 yearly gross salaries can be paid out from savings achieved by the clinical pharmacist through a one-year period,” researchers reported.

The study evaluated the economic impact of the involvement of a clinical pharmacist in the design of hospital medicine policy at General Hospital Bjelovar, which is located in a rural area of Croatia. Researchers from the hospital conducted cost-benefit and cost-minimization analyses for the pharmacist’s role on the drug and therapeutics committee (DTC) and costs for medicines intended for public procurement.

Having a pharmacist involved provided significant economic benefit, the study found. Researchers identified a cost-benefit ratio of 14.18:1.

Specifically, pharmacist involvement on the drug and therapeutics committee was linked with 18.31% savings. Pharmacist participation in the public procurement process for medicines was associated with 17.58% savings, according to the study.

“The involvement of a clinical pharmacist in the hospital medicines policy in a rural area hospital results with an optimization of investment in medicines and leads to substantial cost savings for the health care system,” researchers concluded.

Reference:
Javor E, Allouch A, Osvaldić Galic J, Skelin M. The economic impact of a clinical pharmacist's involvement in the hospital medicines policy in a rural area [published online ahead of print, 2021 Sep 13]. Int J Clin Pract. 2021;e14859. doi:10.1111/ijcp.14859